Improvement in serving ordnance



'2'Sheet5-Sheet 1. J. H. COON. Gun Carriage.

Pan-med Jan. 6, 1863.

mm-mw Unurn'n Srrrrns PATENT @rrucn.

JAMES H. COON, OF DEPOSIT, NEYV YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SERVING ORDNANCE Specification forming part of LettersPatent No.37fl79, dated January 6, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES H. Goon, of Deposit, in the county ofDelaware and State of New York, have invented Improvements inBreech-Loading Cannon, of which the follow ing is a specification.

My invention is more immediately intended to be applied to vessels ofwar and to permanent fortifications; and it consists of the followingparts: First, a provisionfor placing. the charge in a cradle preparedfor its reception, the said cradle being,whcn in its normal position, ata convenient height from the floor or deck to allow the said charge tobe so placed, together witha contrivance for elevating the charge whenso deposited, to such a height as to allow it to be rammed into thebreech, as will be more fullydescribed hereinafter; second, a furtherprovision or contrivance by which .the barrel of the cannon is formed intwo portions, the after portion or breech being hung upon a trunnion,and so disposed and arranged that it can be made to vibrate downwardupon the said trunnion as an axis through a small vertical arc, theconsequence of such vibration being that the forward end of the breechis lowered so far as to bring the whole of it in a direct line with thecradle,before described, upon which the charge is placed, therebybringing the said cradle and the breech into such relative positionswith respect to each other as to allow the charge to be smoothly rammedinto the breech, as will be more fully described hereinafter; third, acontrivance by which, when the cradle containing the charge is raisedand the forward end of the breech is lowered, each to its properposition, a raminer is set in motion, which, being conducted in theproper direction by means of slides, rams the charge into the breech, asmore particularly hereinafter described; fourth, a system of machineryconsisting of wheels, cranks, pulleys, &c., by the operation of whichthe several motions before described are performed, and by a continuanceof which operation in the same direction the several parts beforedescribed are returned each to its original position, thereby enablingthe gunner to fire the cannon and get ready for another charge, ashereinafter will be more fully set forth; fifth, a device in the mannerof applying the first mover to operate the machinery, which allows thesaid operating to continue during the recoil of the piece, so that nointerruption takes place in the operating of the machinery, but, on thecontrary, the machinery is preparing the piece for another dischargewhile the recoil and pushing forward of the piece are being proceededwith, as will be more fully described herein; sixth, a contrivanceconsisting of a toothed wheel and a horizontal piece of ratchet work, bymeans of" which the piece may be easily moved into its proper positionfor another discharge after the recoil, as will be more fully set forthhereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my cannonwith all the parts in position before the charge is placed in thecradle. Fig. 2 is an end elevation, looking toward the breech. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal section through the line 011 Figs. 2 and 4, lookingtoward the inside, the muzzle of the cannon being toward the left-hand.Fig. 4 is an end elevation looking toward the muzzle.

Myimproved cannon is supported on framework which is composed of twodistinct parts. The lower part or base, which supports the whole of thesuperstructure, is denoted on the several drawings by the figures 1 1,&c., and the remaining part of the framework, inside of which the mostpart of the machinery open ates, and which slips inside of the lowerpart, being supported thereon by the axis 3, and retained at the properdegree of inclination by the said axis, and the upright screw 4, isdesignated by the figures 2 2, 850. The whole is intended to run onwheels, as in an ordinary gun carriage, but it was not thought necessaryto introduce these into the drawings. Motion is communicated to thewhole machinery by means of a universal joint. The action of this jointis so well known to mechanics that it has not been thought necessary toshow it in the drawings, the inventor believing that a description ofits position and mode of action would be' all that would be required. Itis partially shown in Fig. 1 hanging below the frame-work. The upper armof this joint is hollow, so as to allow it to he slipped onto thehanging shaft 5, with liberty to slide upward until stopped by theshoulder shown upon the drawings. A screw passing through this up of theframe-work.

ings.

' it from beingdrawn off. A connection is then formed between theuniversal joint and the engine, by which the former is rotated, and, as

it cannotrotate'around the shaft 5 in consequence of the screw which hasentered the slot, it. must, of necessity, operate the shaft and rotateit also. The shaft 5, being thus rotated,

operatesthe horizontal bevel -pinion 6 attached to it as to an axis,which bevel-pinion meshes into the vertical bevel-pinion 7 andiotatesit. Concentric with this bevel-pinion 7, and at-' tached to theback of it on the same axis, is the spur-pinion 9, which meshes intoandrotates the large spur-wheel 10, fixedupon the axis 11, which takesabearing upon both sides The shaft 5 works in a hollow cylinder or box,12, formed upon the fixed shaft 3, and is supported in position by meansof a shoulder formed upon its upper extremity, as shown in Fig. 3. Thebevel- .pinion 7 and the spur-pinion 9 also work upon the same shaft ina depression which serves to keep them in position. The spur-pinion 9,in addition to meshing into the large spurwheel 10, meshes also into thesmall spur-pinion 14, fixed upon the axis 15, which latter pinion, beingrotated, rotates the spur-pinion 16, the latter pinion being attached tothe outer extremity of the same axis. This pinion 16 meshes into aportion of the circumference of the large spur-wheel 17, which it keepsin a state of continual revolution while the moving power is applied tothe universal joint.

The cylindric portion of the spur-wheel 17 that is to say, its convexsurfaceis divided laterally into three portions, forming, asit were,three shallow cylinders, marked 18, 19,- and 20 on Figs. 2 and 4. Theportion 18, being the outer one of the three, is toothed all round thecircumference, as show-n upon the draw- The second or middle portion,19, is toothed for a part only, rather more than onefourth of thecircumference, and for the remainder of the circumference is sunk into agroove equal in depth to the depth of the teeth, the teeth in thisportion, as far as they go, corresponding and agreeing with the teeth inthe outer portion, 18, and the third or inner portion, 20, of this wheelpresents on the outside a cylindrical surface without any teeth andflush with the outer extremities of the teeth in the other divisions.The inner or concave surface of this portion, 20, of the circumferencehas a part of it cut out into teeth and the remainder hollowed out to adepth .equal to that of the-teeth, so as to present for theremainderofthe circumference a plain concave surface. The toothed part of theopposite. side.

to which it is jointed at the point 31.

middle portion, 19, of the spur-wheel 17 meshes into the teeth of thesmall wheel 23 hung upon the shaft 24, which shaft also extends acrossthe frame-work and takes a bearing upon the The teeth upon the inside orconcave surface of the remaining portion 20 of this wheel 17 mesh intothe small wheel 25 hung upon the shaft 29. v tends across theframe-work, but at the middle of its length is. manipulated into acrank, as

will be more fully described subsequently.

The small wheel 23 meshes into the small wheel- 27 hung upon the shaft28. This shaft, in the same manner as the shaft 29, is fashioned into acrank at the center of its length. The wheel 25, which meshes into theconcave circumference of the wheel 17, has its axis 29 fashioned intoacrank, 27, (shown in Figs. 2 and 3,) as

before mentioned. The rod 28 is jointed to this crank by one of itsextremities at the point 29. The other extremity of this rod. isbifurcated for the purpose of receiving the arm 30, The other extremityof this arm is jointed to a bifurcated projection, 32, which springsfrom the lower surface of the breech 33 of the cannon. The joint-pin 31,which connects the crank-rod 28 with the arm 30, is made suffrcientlylong to admit of the links 34 and 35 being also jointed onto the saidpin. The lower extremities of these links are jointed to an axis, 36,which is secured to the rail 37, which reaches across the machine. Thisjointpin 31 also'receives the ends of the arms 38 and 39, so as to admitthem to move freely upon it. form a continuation of the chains 40 and41, which pass over the pulleys 42 and 43. These pulleys are hung in twobifurcated pieces, 44 and 45, which extend downward a little below thelevel of the axis 11 of the large wheel 10. The bifurcations of thesepieces-44 and 45 embrace also the two sides 46 and 47 of r theirregularly-shaped quadrangular hollow casting; a section of which isshown in Fig. 3, the ends being 48 and 49 in that figure, the inner armsof the bifurcations being securely fixed to the sides 46 and 47.This'irregularlyshaped quadrangle is itself securely fixed to the crownof the irregular arch 50, which spans the whole of the upper framing,and is securely bolted to the two sides. The upper extremities of thepieces 44 and 45 being thus securely fixed in position, their lowerextremities are alsokept in position by being stayed to the sides of theframe-work, various methods of doing which will suggest themselves tothe. mind of any intelligent mechanic; The bifurcated piece 51 is alsobolted to the lower end, 48, of the irregular quadrangular piece beforealluded to, as shown in Fig. 3. The other extremity of this piece 51 isfixed to the axis 52, which is attached to the rail 53 of theframe-work, immediately under the forward part of the cannon. Thebifurcation of this piece 51 is sufficiently wide to allow the link Thisshaft also ex- These arms are connected with and -movable around allthese points.

54 to be introduced between its arms and fixed upon the axle 52. Theupper extremity of this link is itself bifurcated, so as to receive atongue made upon the upper extremity of the link 55, and both theselinks 54 and 55 are received into the bifurcated link 56, and all threeare jointed together at the point 57,

' so as to move freely in vertical angles around it. The link 56 is acrank-rod, jointed at the point 58 to the crank 59, the said crank 59being formed upon the axis 28 of the small wheel 27, as before stated.The lower end of the link 55 is jointed to the end of the rammer 60 atthe point 61, sothat when the crank 59 is depressed the joint 57 followsit, and the rammer is forced upward in the direction of the cannon. Twoslides, 62 and 63one on each side of the rammerare each of them attachedby one extremity to the bifurcated piece 51, and at the other extremityto the upper cross piece orhead, 49, of the irregular quadrangularpiecebeforealluded to. Twobandsorclippingpieces, 64 and '65, each formedof two portions, part circular, to clip the rammer 6O closely, and partplain, with grooves in the surfaces which come into contact, so as toadmit the slides 62 and 63 to be introduced between them, are provided,fixed, and bolted together, so as at once to clip the rammer 60 and, theslides 62 and 63, the former tightly, so

that the bands and rammer must move together, and the latter loosely, sothat the rammer and clipping-pieces may move together easilyon theslides. The chains 40 and 41, after passing over the pulleys 42 and 43,are brought down in front of the bifurcated pieces 44 and 45, and areattached to iron rods 66 and 67. These rods are carried down along thefront of the bifurcated pieces 44 and 45, and have attached to theirlowerends two pieces, 68 and 69, each piece being formed of threesheets, a transverse section of which would show three sides of arectangle. Each of these pieces clips three sides of the bifurcatedpieces 44 and 45-that is to say, the inner surface of each of thesebifurcated pieces and the two contiguous sides. These clipping-pieces donot fit tightly upon the pieces 44 and 45, but are left a little slack,so that they may be easily slid up and down. The

bifurcated pieces 44 and 45 are united by a cross'piece, 70, at thebottom, in which crosspiece the pin or axis 71 is inserted, which passesthrough the two lower blades of the lattice-work elevator 72.Thislattice-work ele- .vator is, as its name imports, formed of bladescrossing each other like lattice-work, united at their centers by thepins 73, and at their extremities by the pins 74, the blades being It isevident from the peculiarity of this construction that the bottom ofthis lattice-work remaining fixed at the point 71, the elevation of thetwo halfblades attached to this point, or the elevation of any of theother blades, necessarily involves the elevation of the wholelattice-work, and

that to as great an extent as the blades can be safely extended toward aposition parallel to the line of their motion. The lower of the pins(marked 73) not only passes through the blades, but is also attachedinternally to the clipping-pieces 68 and 69, and as these pieces arealso attached, as before described, to the rods 66 and 67 the elevationor depression of these latter will evidently involve the elevation ordepression of the lattice-elevators 7 2. Between the bifurcated pieces44 and 45, supported upon the highest of the pins, (which are marked73,) and attached and jointed to the said pin, the cradle 75, forreceiving the charge, is fixed. This cradle, it is evident, will beelevated by raising the rods 67 and 68 until it reaches the inside ofthe irregular quadrangular frame before described, the beveled part 76,or heel of this cradle, will strike against the end 48 of thequadrangular piece, while-the upper surface of the toe 77 will strikeagainst the lower surface of the other end, 49, of the same quadrangularpiece, the cradle be ing made longer than the internal length of thequadrangle. By means of these two points of contact not onlyis thefarther ascent of the cradle prevented, but it is also brought into theproper position for allowing the rammer 60 to pass along it, it beingthen in a direct line with the slides of the rammer.

The revolution of the wheel 25 draws the crank 27 downward from theposition shown on Figs. 1 and 3, and toward the rear end of the machine.The consequence is that the crank-rod 28 is drawn toward the same parts,and as the revolution of thewheel continues and the crank is drawn stillfarther toward the rear, the crank-rod 28, in following the motion,draws the two links 35 and 30 into an angle which becomes more acute thefarther the crank-rod is drawn. The link 35, being fixed at its lowerextremity at the point 36, can only follow the motion of the crank-rodwith its upper extremity, 31. This involves the displacement of thelower extremity of the link 30, and by consequence of its upperextremity also, and this upper extremity being attached to the lowerportion of the breech, the latter is forced to revolve downwardvertically upon the axis 78, until its central line, parallel to itslength, is in a line with the shoe and the rammer. The revolution of thewheel 27 removes the crank 59 toalower positionthanthatshown'on thedrawings, and toward the rear end of the machine. This involves theremoval of the crank-rod 56 toward the same parts, and the upperextremity, 57, of this rod, acting upon the angle formed by the links 54and 55, causes itto become more obtuse as the crank-rodfollows themotion of the crank; but the lower end, 52, of the link 54 being fixedinvolves the necessity of the link 55 diverging. Its lower extremity,61, must therefore separate more and more from the crank-rod 56,according as the latter descends; but this lower extremity, 61, beingattached to the lower extodescend by their own gravity.

tremity of the rammer 60 by the pin or axis 61, the displacement of thislink 55 pushes therefore the rammer 60 upward toward the breech of thecannon, in which motion it is guided 1 by the slides 62 and 63. Thecannon is sup- :ported on the upper part of the frame-work by means ofthe trunnions 78 and 79. It is formed in two portions, which areconnected and held together by two strong iron plates, .80 and 81, Thebreech 83 turns upon the trunnion 78 as an axis, and is united to. theremaining part in such a manner that the surfaces in contact with eachother are portions of a cylindric surface, the axis of which passesthrough the center of the trunnion 78 in a direction at right angles tothe length of the cannon.

Having thus described all the most essential parts of my said invention,it now remains to- .show the manner in which it is operated and thecombined action of its different parts.

The wheel 17, being revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow,operates, by means of the teeth on its internal or concave surface, thewheel 25, and this wheel, operating the crank 27, pulls the crank-rod 28downward and also toward the rear of the machine, as before described,and with it the links or arms 30 and 35 and the chain 41. This chain,being drawn in that direction, necessarily revolves the pulleys 42 and43, thereby shortening the portion of the chain in front of the rods orforked pieces 44 and 45, and therefore raises the lattice-elevators 72,and with them the cradle 75,

up to the position in the hollow of the irre'gular quadrangle-beforedescribed; and while this is going on the arm 30 is pulling down thebreech of the cannon into the position previously indicated herein, sothat the arrival of, the cradle at its highest point and the depressionof the breech to its lowest are simultaneous. When the cradle 75 is inthis position, or rather shortly before it arrives at it,

the teeth on part of the center portion of the wheel 17 have got intosuch position as to enable them to operate the wheel 23,which wheel(being only used for transferring motion) operates the wheel 27, which,as more particu- .larly described before, forces apart the arms .54 and55, and thereby slides therammer 60 upward, and the different parts ofthe machinery being so adjusted to each other as to make this motionsimultaneous with thelowering of the breech and the raising of theshoe,the chargeis at once rammed from the shoe into the breech.

and the whole machine be left as at the commencement. 'The largespur-wheel 10 works -into a toothed rail or rack below, securely fixedand properly located, and serves the following purpose: When the piecerecoils in consequence of the discharge, the universal joint beforedescribed is pulled along th'e'shaft 5, and the machinery is thereforekept in motion, notwithstanding the recoil; and at the end of therecoil, the machinery being still in motion, the wheel operates upon therack and brings the gun back to its proper position, and while doi g sois at the same time preparingit for another discharge.

before the gun reaches the proper position, so that when it does reachthat position the wheel 10 is revolving clear of the rack.

The recoil drives it back upon the rack, the

coil, to depress the breech, to elevate the 1 charge, and to ram ithome, and all without any attention on the part of the assistant furtherthan that of placing the charge in the cradle.

For the purpose of preventing the cranks 27 and 59 from rotating whentheir action is not required, I provide two springs, 81 and 82, whichare worked by cams upon the axis 26 of the wheel 17. Each of thesesprings is fastened at. one extremity to the framework of the machine,and has the other extremity turned down, as shown at 84 in Fig. 3. Thisspring is released by the cams shown on the axis 26 in the same figure,and the spring being at liberty, the turned-down extremity shown at 84falls into the notch 85 of the wheel 83, fixed upon the axis 29 of thecrank 27, and thus holds it in the proper position until its servicesare again required.

The operation of the spring 82 (shown in Fig. 1) is precisely similar tothat already described, the wheel which it stops being fixed upon theaxis 28 of the crank 59. This wheel is hidden by wheel 27 in Fig. 1,being immediately behind it, and the spring 82 is operated by anotherpair of cams fixed upon the other extremity of the axis 26.

Having now described my said invention and the mode of operating it, Iclaim- 1. The device composed of the two arms 54 and 55 and thecrank-rod 56, when combined and arranged in the manner'hereinbeforedescribed, and operated by the crank 59,

so as to move the rammer 60, for the purpose set forth, and in themanner. indicated.

2. The device composed of the arm 30, and the two arms 34 and 35, thechains 39 and 40, in connection with the rods 66 and 67 and the cradle75, and the lattice-elevator 72, all combined with each other in themanner he- The rack -or toothedrail terminates a short distance foredescribed, and operated by the crank rod 28, for the purpose of loweringthe forward end of the breech 33 and elevating the cradle 75simultaneously with each other, as hereinbefore described and set forth.

3. The combination of these two motions with each other by means of themachinery hereinbefore described, so as to cause the depression of thebreech 33, the elevation of the cradle 75, and the ascent of the rammer60, simultaneously, together with all the minor and subsidiaryoperations, as hereinbefore described, and for the purposes set forth.

JAMES H COON.

Witnesses:

L. A. Ronnnrs, M. 0. SMITH.

